Part 13: 10.B: Great Opportunity
: Before I get started with this update, I came across something interesting:: I often do a handful of practice Rites with Sandra before I go into any big game or any major update. I don’t want to lose any of the for-real Rites because the game won’t stop for me if I do and will take the stain of my failure with me throughout the remainder of the story.: When I loaded up against Sandra this time, I was given this:
: So, now we know just a little bit more about Sandra. That’s nice.: Anyway, moving on:
Gfy
: Great Opportunity – Gameplay: As usual, our allies that did not participate got themselves a bit of extra Inspiration to bank the next time they do. But, for a handful of us…
: I had explained Ti’zo’s perks before, but, for posterity, the ones available to me are the two second-level perks Safe Return and Titan’s Rage, and the first-level perk Moon Sign.: Ti’zo has a unique weakness in that casting his Aura will also banish himself. This isn’t really an especially damning weakness because his Aura is massive and it covers an enormous area when it’s cast to compensate, but it’s still rather annoying: there is never a “good” time to Implode, because when you use it, you’re either deep in enemy territory (and thus trying to get a dunk) or you’re trying to defend (and thus you probably need more manpower to deal with the opponent’s offense).: All that said, I’m gonna go with Safe Return. The less time we’re down players, the better, and it’s a real kick when my player is only down because he was playing the game.
: What I’m going to do next for Ti’zo is going to be up in the air a little bit….
: Interesting verb use.
: Gilman’s got some pretty interesting perks to work with. His two first-level perks are Valiant Return (if Gilman’s entire team wipes, then he returns immediately) and Avenging Aid (after banishing an enemy, one of Gilman’s teammates returns immediately).: His second-level perks are, from left to right, Stunning Claim (once per round, once Gilman salutes his enemies, all of them are frozen in place for three seconds); Heroic Stand (if Gilman ever loses a teammate, his Quickness improves while they’re gone and he gains limitless stamina); Quick Draw (after using his Slash, Gilman can immediately Slash again to return to where he was); and Greater Cleave (Slash’s area-of-effect is significantly larger).: And finally, his level-three perks are Seized Chance (whenever Gilman gets a kill, his Glory increases by ten for ten seconds) and Vigorous Slash (after using Slash, Gilman immediately recovers all stamina).: Personally, it’s not really a contest as to which tree is better. The left tree is all about banishments and one salute, but the problem is that they all depends on his own team being banished, and also, I don’t really like saluting. Salutes don’t have the shortest animations, and that three-second bonus Stunning Claim could afford me would be lost almost immediately when I use it because I’m spending so long saluting.: The solution to that would be to switch to a teammate to take advantage of everyone’s stillness… except the tree that has Stunning Claim gets stronger based on the fewer teammates Gilman has active.: The right tree, meanwhile, is all about getting kills. I’m not especially good with Gilman, I’ll admit, but that’s on me, and I feel like I should work on getting myself better to take advantage of Gilman’s crazy perks and bonuses he gets if he lands a successful strike. On top of that, Vigorous Slash doesn’t even need to be a kill, and he’ll regain all his stamina.
: And finally….
: As usual: her first-level perks are Swift Flight (Increases Pamitha’s flight speed) and Winged Fury (for five seconds after a kill, Pamitha moves 30% faster).: Her second-level perks are Shrike Dash (Pamitha can dash in rapid succession, and with less cost to her stamina); Sleight of Wing (whenever Pamitha salutes an enemy, she immediately swaps places with her nearest ally); Fell Swoop (while casting her Aura, Pamitha can trigger a burst effect that banishes nearby adversaries); and Relentless Pursuit (if Pamitha is banished while Winged Fury is in effect, she returns twice as quickly as normal).: And her third-level perks are Greater Celerity (Pamitha gains a straight +8 buff to Quickness) and Natural Superiority (Pamitha gains a straight +4 buff to Quickness, Presence, and Hope).: Looking over these perks, at first, it seems like a tougher call between the left tree and the right tree. The first-level perks between them both is tough to say: while Pamitha uses very little stamina while flying, and can thus do it for a long time, the game deliberately doesn’t say how much faster she goes while flying, compared to it telling us straight-up that she’ll move “30% faster” with Winged Fury.: However, I’m not fond of the fact that Relentless Pursuit requires Winged Fury to be in effect – of all our allies, it should be hardest to banish Pamitha most of all, because of her ability to fly and the fact that her casting her own Aura makes her invincible. And while Natural Superiority may seem more attractive than Greater Celerity, it’s typically better to assign roles in games like these (i.e. defense; offense; quarterback; goalie; whatever) than try and make any character a jack-of-all-trades because then they’ll be a master of none.: Also, gosh darn, with all that Quickness, and with Fell Swoop, Pamitha would have an easy time penetrating the enemy team’s defenses and swapping places with someone that could do more damage to their pyre than she could. She’d be pretty tricky to deal with.
: An adequate performance back there.
: Adequate?
: Yes. Adequate, for the next part of our Plan. Go, have your Reader there consult the stars. See where they take you next.: I’ll give you a hint: It’s further north. It’s going to be high up…
: …and it’s going to be cold.
: We’ll see. Come on, my friend, let’s have a look outside then.
: I get the feeling that Hedwyn isn’t so okay with Volfred either. Which is cool with me; I don’t mind hanging out with My Best Friend Hedwyn to shittalk Fred and his broad, sturdy shoulders a little bit.: That plan Volfred mentioned… I just want you to know, I don’t know what he means.
: We’re here because we’re going to be free again. We won’t be living out our days as exiles. That’s the only plan, as far as I’m concerned.
: But, there’s always a catch, right? We’ll see what Volfred has to say.: Anyway, I’ll leave you to it. No matter what, we’re getting closer, thanks to you.
: Fred said to look north….
: …I must be heading in the right direction.
Gfy
: So now you see it for yourself. You are summoned to the north, where looms Mount Alodiel, and at the very top: the Fall of Soliam.
: You confirm the stars indicated this exactly.: Volfred, sir… how did you know?
: <I, too, can read, my boy. Forbidden though the words may be.>: I feel like I’m being challenged.: He turns back to Hedwyn.: Your Reader’s skills, while rare, are not unique. But, as I said, I’ll let him do the job. I see that you have something special going here, which benefits the Plan.: What plan? I thought this was about our freedom.: Oh, fear not, my boy. It is, indeed. Plenty of time to tell you all about it on the way. For now, however, you look like you can use some rest. And for that matter, so can I. If you’ll excuse me.: You sense your companions are exhausted from their recent travels. Given the road ahead, you agree it would be best to take the night to recover as much as possible.
: Well, uh… that was a unique development. I’m not sure who I should be more wary of, between the Harp that’s giving me mixed messages, or a Sap that’s giving me one clear one.: In either case, there’s not much left to do here. We’re coming up on Mount Alodiel, and when we arrive, the fate of our caravan will change completely.
: At dawn, Volfred is already up. He reveals to you a pathway through the woods, into the cold lands to the north, beyond which lies your next destination.
Gfy
: You get clear of the woods at last, and arrive in lands grown cold in the shadow of Mount Alodiel. You will have to make it all the way to the top. In a moment of respite, Volfred calls everyone together, to discuss matters pertaining to the Rites, and the plan to which he alluded.: You banded together with a common faith that freedom from the Downside is not impossible, am I correct? But, let me ask you something….: What does freedom even mean to you?: He looks in your direction as he asks, defying you to answer. You cannot sense his own thoughts on the subject, and only know the truth of how you feel.
: Damn, that’s a pretty hard-hitting philosophical question.: Speaking personally, I’ve never really had my ‘freedom’ put into question. I’ve had the privilege of being born in the free world, and never have I really felt that my options, with regards to where I want to be, or what I want to do, or who I want to love – or, to put it into Pyre’s perspective, whether or not I want to learn to read – were ever in any real danger, or put into question, or anything of that sort. So, I’ve never really considered what it means for myself to be ‘free.’: You know, outside of competitive gaming 
: But, when I put it that way – that I ‘never had my freedoms threatened’ – then, I guess, out of the options presented to me, my answer would be to live without fear. Of course, this is one of those questions where there is no wrong answer, and ‘freedom’ can be defined differently by anyone. ‘Freedom’ may mean something different to someone living in a place where their liberties are often suppressed, and they may consider ‘freedom’ to be something that I’ve taken for granted.: I’m going to continue on with my own answer, but I’m interested in hearing what ‘freedom’ means to you, if you’re willing to spare your two cents.
: You tell Volfred that freedom means living without fear, and not being subject to persecution or retaliation for one’s thoughts and choices.: He considers your remarks for a short while.: …Good answer, my boy. I happen to agree. Fear takes hold in freedom’s wake. But, fear is a natural impulse, is it not? A common feeling we all share from time to time, a deeply rooted impulse there to aid our judgment, and spur us on to acts of courage.: If not for fear, I doubt we could accomplish very much in life. And, just now, we stand upon the brink of accomplishing something vital.: He then turns his attention to the whole group.: Now, let me tell you all what freedom means to me.
: To be able to indulge one’s curiosities and passions, at least the ones that cause no harm to others, without the constant threat of judgment and reprisal. Freedom means not being made a criminal for what you know, or whom you love, or what you choose to think, or not think.: He looks out toward the distant mountains.: Within the next few days, your time in exile could come to an end. You could see the Commonwealth once more.: And you would be exalted there! Given the highest honor. The opposite of how you got here.: But you would not be truly free, I think. At the least, you would become complicit to an ancient system that would deign to cast down others such as you.: It is a system whose well-intentioned founding principles have long been lost. And the Eight Scribes, if they are out there still, have made quite clear they shall not intervene firsthand.
: He turns to you and everyone again, looking to each of you.: Long have I wished to gather such a group. That, together, you might see that seeking freedom only for yourselves is too modest of a goal. You share a higher calling now.: The plan, then, is this: We free each other from the Downside through the Rites, then we meet up on the other side. We organize.: Each new moon at dusk, we join together at the Spiral Sanctum. We need as many of us there as possible. My agents on the other side shall explain the rest….
: Just so…. I am asking a lot. You do have other options. Deceit, however, is not one of them. The Reader and myself… you know by now that we can see through it.: Some more than others.: But, you need not be a part of this, nor is it in my interest to coerce you. You may go your own way, if you wish. Live out your remaining days here, like so many others. So, if anyone among you prefers that… if you cannot see yourself continuing to strive together in the Commonwealth, as you are doing here, then… speak now.: Volfred pauses for a time, examining each member of the group. No one stirs.
: … Very good. Some of you consider yourselves friends, some others not. But all of you are bound together through the Rites, and are integral to our Plan. Remember that.: You seek true freedom? You will not find it waiting for you in the Commonwealth. But, together, you can bring it about, both for yourselves and others. That is my promise.: Then he lets out a long breath.
: Volfred turns towards the mountains, leaving you to consider what he said, and plot the wagon’s northward path.: So, there you have it: Volfred’s looking to revolt against the government that put us all down here. Like I said, the Commonwealth is a bit of a gilded cage: everyone wants to be there, but if you don’t follow their rules to the letter, this is where you’re sent. Considering that one of those rules is ‘don’t learn to read,’ it’s hardly what you or me would call a paradise – it’s in a sorry state and it needs help.: Whether those in charge think it wants help or not.
Gfy
: Beyond lies Mount Alodiel. I suggest we make camp here at the base of the mountain, for we shall need our spirits and our strength to make the ascent.
: Interesting that Sandra is looking for more meat for the pile so soon after Jodariel, but I won’t say no to what is basically free swag. And yeah, I’d imagine, after all that, someone might have something on their mind that they’d want to talk about.
: Huh, not the person I was expecting, though. What do you want, Fred?: There you are, my boy. There was something which I wanted to discuss with you, in private.: Volfred stares at you, rather intently, as if reaching out to you… and then…
: Uh… well, being a telepath was not my number-one assumption when I first learned to spell my own name, but hell, I won’t turn it down.: <Those such as we… We are not limited to reading pages from a Book.>: <Though, your ability in this I sense is nascent, still. Mere flashes, uncontrollable.>: <I see, as well, now, that they haven’t told you, yet. Your friends. And that explain a lot.>
: And let me guess, you handsome bastard, that Readers such as you are fair game?: <I had wondered why you would insist on pressing onward with this group, in light of this. The answer, then, was plain. You simply did not know, or fully realize.>: <They did not deceive you, by the way. There is no reason they would know, themselves, other than Tariq, who shall not influence your thinking in such matters. Rather… I had expected, when at first we met, that you already knew the truth of this from having read the passage in the Book of Rites, which states it plain…>
: <…Perhaps you have not gotten to that part just yet.>: Hell, that’s easy. Put me in, coach, I’m ready. Oh wait, I AM the coach! I make the decisions!: But seriously, is there any reason why I can’t? Let’s just tag in and out a few times, Volfred, and we’ll both be eligible, according to the very word of the Book.
: It is plain that you are not in adequate condition to conduct the Rites. And this group values you as Reader. I wish only to ensure you understand what you are getting into, here.: Despite whatever hopes and dreams and promises might have been shared… I do not think the Rites can help you to return. If that is what you had in mind.: So, once again… I invite you to depart, and I will see to it that you are compensated.
: Do you understand?
: Fred, buddy, after that whole spiel about us banding together to revolt against the Empire, you of all people should understand that I’m not just here for myself right now. I don’t care for your money – the only thing I’d spend them on down here is Talismans: Besides. Everything that I’ve read in that book so far, and everything that I’ve learned about this world, all points to the conclusion that the impossible is far from it. If some dude with a boat can kill Plurnes by ramming his boat into her, then surely there’s a way for me to swim up a river.
: You understand the words of warning, yet, just the same, you choose to carry on. There is more that you wish to achieve on this journey than freedom for yourself.: I admire that, my boy. Then, very well.: Know that we have much at stake here, in this, anyway. Much more than just a shot at going back into that Commonwealth, which cast us down here, to begin with. It sounds like you intend to stick around. Then, we’ll have lots more time to chat, as we ascend the sacred mountain in the coming days.: Until then….: He strides out of the wagon then, leaving you with your thoughts.
: Heavy stuff. There’s a pretty good chance that we’re boned for good, all because we know how to read.: Maybe Sandra knows how to lighten the mood a bit.
: I just learned that you and I might have a little more in common than we at first figured. How’s it going with you?
: How very kind of you to visit me again like this, oh lovely Reader! For I was just standing about, in the blackness of this void, thinking, it would be most pleasant if something were to happen, for a change.: There was a long period of time that this incarceration of mine failed utterly to do anything but bring me peace of mind. Not much of a punishment!
: I invite you to imagine an upbringing among the Sisters of the Arch. Living on the outskirts of civilization… your days all full of training which could kill you, or just cripple you for life.: How do you suppose I lost my sight? Through glorious battle with the Scribes? Or in a careless sparring session with my master?: Ah, but, I’ve not forgotten enough just yet. In any case, at first I welcomed the prospect of not having to struggle every moment to survive.
: I’d imagine two centuries in a pit with people you’re not fond of might do that to you.: It did not help at all that the Nightwings of the early days were the stodgiest lot you could imagine. Obsessed with obeying the Book as strictly as they could.: Some of them started to remind me of myself, I think, when I was young. Such idiots, the lot of them….: Ah, but, what am I saying, lovely Reader… I shall not bore you further with such matters. I would have bored myself to death back then, if only I could die.
: Sandra either needs a hug, or she needs a punching bag. I don’t know how receptive she’d be to the hug (also, she’s incorporeal), so, how’s about I let her smack one of my teammates around?: Oh, that can be arranged. You need but name for me the one you have in mind.
: You ask Sandra to administer one of her special trials for Hedwyn.: Oh, you must mean that nomad boy… so innocent, that one. I should have a lot of work to do with him. Then, let us bring him forth.: Soon, Hedwyn appears, in heed of the summons.: Hey, my friend, what’s going on?
Gfy
: The apparition Sandra appears, and unfastens her mask.: Listen well, boy. You answer to me here.
: …Understood.: You are a fool. Do not talk back to me. Your reliance on your friends is such a burden upon them. Let us see what you can do without their aid… save for that of your lovely Reader, there.
: Fool – Gameplay
: Say, what’s that you have there?
: Not a bad Talisman at all. This will put Hedwyn in an interesting position: he doesn’t have Rukey’s speed or Jodariel’s presence, so he isn’t the best choice for either offense or defense, but with this Talisman, he’ll be firing off power-casted Auras like a machine gun, and every successful hit will turn him into a speed freak for a few seconds.: It’ll basically make him favourable for all situations, rather than as my second-option. It isn’t quite as good as Rukey’s ‘I-own-this-lane-now’ Talisman, at least in my opinion, but it’s still quite a strong one.
: Mount Alodiel is just up ahead. Whatever conclusion is awaiting us on this journey… it’s in our sights.